君の名は after story: The Missing Pieces
by theficti0nist
Summary: Taki and Mitsuha have forgotten each other's name, and what happened between them. Yet, despite everything, they met again. Now that they have reunited, what happens after the fateful meeting? Please leave reviews.
1. Prologue

_In my heart, I'm always looking for something._

 _I know that something is lacking. Something precious. Something I shouldn't forget._

Every day, Tachibana Taki woke up with such feelings; sometimes he even found tears in his eyes upon waking up. He didn't know what it is, but there's something missing, a piece that didn't quite fit. He gave up trying to talk this over with his friends or family; they all said the same things over and over.

 _You haven't found a job, so it's normal to feel like this._

 _Make yourself a girlfriend and you'll be fine._

 _Just drink those problems away!_

Taki considered the first answer. It's true that it's been a full year since his graduation, and yet all he did was going to interviews without actually getting any of the jobs he applied for. The job section of the newspaper he brought around with him was nearly full with red X marks. Although he tried not to be too concerned, he had to admit that it was slowly eating him up.

But somehow he didn't think that he not having a job was the cause for this… listlessness, if that was the right term.

He sighed, then shook his head slightly to erase the thoughts. This morning, he was going to have another interview. It had been a routine for him this whole year that he nearly felt nothing anymore. In the beginning, he had all sorts of feelings: nervous, excited, even both. But as he continued to do this without any results, it just felt like going to school every day when he was still a student. He just needed to go, survive, and go home again to sleep.

 _Even so, I still want to do my best and get the job! Yep. That's better. Any unnecessary thoughts can come later after everything's over._

With a more positive attitude, he walked into the train. As usual, with everyone going to work or school, the train was packed with people. He calmly took a spot close to the door, and when it slid to a close, leant one arm on it to keep himself steady. The people were quietly murmuring to themselves, and there was barely any space around for him to stand comfortably. Yet Taki didn't mind. He just wanted to make sure he got to see the view outside. Just in case he found it….

 _Find what?_ he asked himself, just when another train passed in front of his.

And he saw her.

Suddenly, it was as if he were in a movie instead of real life, where slow motion was possible. It was as if the whole world lost its colors. Everything turned to grey, except for her. He could see that she also noticed him, her dark brown eyes widening in surprise. She was also standing in the same position as him in that train, with one hand leaning to the glass. Some of her long, black hair formed two small braids and she tied them together behind her with a red ribbon. Taki was sure they had never met before.

 _But why does it feel like I missed her?_

Then, his feet were moving on their own. Despite the voice of his head yelling to him over and over that he didn't know her, he started running. Somehow, he managed to get off the train at the next stop. Without stopping to catch his breath, he continued towards a direction where she might have gone. But he could no longer see her. _Where is she? Where is she? Is she still on the train? If so, wouldn't all this be pointless?_

His feet led him to a big staircase, before stopping. His heart was pounding uncontrollably, perhaps due to the running. Or maybe it was something else, he didn't know. Without looking, he knew that he had found her. The girl was standing on top of the staircase; Taki was below. She, too, seemed to have been running and also stopped just as he did. Taki wanted to see and confirm if he actually knew her. But suddenly he got scared.

 _What if I'm just making a total fool of myself? I was too desperate that I started imagining things that didn't exist. I didn't know this girl; that much is clear._

Ignoring the uncomfortable feeling in his chest and the urge to call out to the girl, Taki started ascending the stairs. He took each step carefully, slowly, as if giving a chance for himself to give it a try after all. To keep holding on to the _what-if_ s, and to listen to the _maybe_ s. He noticed that she was also starting to descend the stairs. One step at a time, as if she was waiting for something. They passed each other, too painfully slowly.

Yet nothing happened.

 _You're going to lose her!_ A voice warned him. His chest started throbbing faster, and more painfully. He felt tears welling up in his eyes. Why? He didn't understand. Who was this girl for him, anyway? Wasn't she a stranger? What was so painful about losing a stranger?

 _Call out to her!_ the voice, one he recognized as his own, urged. It sounded more persistent. Taki could actually feel the weight of the pressure it had. _Now!_

"Um, excuse me!" he yelled, turning his body back to her direction. _I said it! Now there's no going back._ "Do… do I know you from somewhere?"

She stopped walking. He waited. For a moment, he thought he saw that her body was trembling. Still, he waited. It was too late to take it back anyway, and weirdly enough, he never felt so sure about anything in his life.

And finally, she turned. There were tears in her eyes. "I thought so, too."

Taki smiled. And she returned it. That weird feeling he got back in the train never left; it got even stronger this time.

 _He missed her. So, so much._

"What's your name?" they asked each other.


	2. Chapter 1

Mitsuha sighed.

"Whoa… you're sighing again."

She looked up to the owner of the voice, who was sitting right in front of her, forcing a smile. "It's nothing, Saya-chin," Mitsuha assured her, taking a sip from the cup of tea Sayaka served for them earlier. "I guess I'm just tired."

"No way that's nothing," she disagreed, pouring more tea to Mitsuha's half empty cup. The steam slowly rose between the two girls, bringing the wonderful aroma of green tea. "In the thirty minutes we're sitting here, that's about the tenth time you sighed. Something must be wrong."

"You're counting?" Mitsuha chuckled nervously.

"Mitsuha," she called, her bright eyes staring straight into Mitsuha's. That was the kind of look she gave when she was not to be disagreed with. "Is it not going well with Taki? Did you two have a fight or something?"

The two girls were in Sayaka's house somewhere in the outskirts of Tokyo. Teshigawara—Tessie—used to live here alone after moving to Tokyo, and with Sayaka moving in shortly after their wedding, the young couple had been living here together ever since. Mitsuha held her cup with both hands and took a sip. While doing so, her eyes caught a small framed photo taken in Tessie and Sayaka's wedding not too long ago. It was a small group photo: the couple stood in the middle, with Mitsuha and Taki next to Sayaka, while Yotsuha and Hitoha—Mitsuha and Yotsuha's grandma—stood next to Tessie. Mitsuha looked at herself and couldn't help but smile at the memory. Not only were they standing side by side, she and Taki were also holding hands, both of them smiling happily.

"Saya-chin," Mitsuha began, shifting her eyes back to her best friend.

"Hmm?"

"You never told me how you and Tessie started dating," she said casually.

Sayaka nearly choked on her tea. "Wha—what is this, suddenly?"

"Well… just tell me."

Sayaka eyed Mitsuha suspiciously, as the talk was supposed to be about her and Taki. But then she shrugged. Looking down to her steaming cup, she could feel that her face started getting warmer from embarrassment. "I told him first," she said. "It was not long after the Incident—I don't know, I just felt like I had to tell him. I thought he liked you, so I was worried—no, don't look at me like that, I really did—but then he said he liked me too. And just like that, we started dating. Why do you ask, after all this time?"

"You're right," Mitsuha murmured, more to herself. "Dating is supposed to be like that, right? You're supposed to talk about it."

"What's with the long face? Aren't you and Taki dating?" After asking, Sayaka suddenly remembered the story Mitsuha told her about how she met Taki. She giggled. "But seriously, I can't believe you started seeing each other after he called out to you on the street, asking if you knew each other. What kind of approach is that? Tessie still thinks you two made it up or something."

Sayaka let out a small laughter. But when she saw that Mitsuha was not laughing with her, she abruptly stopped. Worriedly, she asked, "What's wrong? Are you two really fighting after all?"

"It's not that," Mitsuha told her, shaking her head. "It's just that… neither of us actually said that we liked each other. We just sort of… started dating."

Sayaka couldn't believe what she had just heard. Sure, when Mitsuha first talked to her about it over the phone some time ago, it was hard to believe. That's why she insisted that Taki come to the wedding. She had to see for herself the man who was dating Mitsuha, as she knew better than anyone that her best friend never showed the slightest interest in dating. Regardless her worries, she came to understand as soon as she saw the two of them in the wedding. It was as if they were inseparable, that they were made for each other. And that made what Mitsuha just said even harder to believe.

"Are you for real?"

Mitsuha nodded weakly.

"And you've been together for what, two months?"

"A month and a half," Mitsuha corrected her. "At first I shrugged it off because I thought, why worry about something like that? But as time goes on, I begin to worry – are we really dating or is it just my own perception?"

"Haven't you gone as far as staying in each other's house?"

"We sleep in different rooms, though," Mitsuha murmured.

Ignoring her, Sayaka continued, "You go out together on weekends, give each other gifts, and you even cook for him every day, don't you? I can see that he gets along well with both Yotsuha and your grandma, and they also like him a lot. For me, that's more than enough proof that you are dating."

Mitsuha didn't know what to say. Deep down, she knew Sayaka was right. Even without hearing Taki-kun say "I love you," she could already feel it from what he does and how he treats her and her family. Even so, she couldn't help but feel like she was forgetting something. And that something was very important. Not just for her, but for them both.

What Sayaka mentioned earlier was one example. Mitsuha was sure they never met before, yet they recognized each other instantly in the train. Back then, there was also this weird feeling inside her that she had been looking for him for so long, and that she missed him. And although Taki never mentioned this, she was sure that he, too, felt the same way. Sure, she felt a lot better now that she had him, but there were still some pieces that didn't quite fit.

"Well, as I said, from what I see, you two are obviously a couple already," Sayaka said, breaking the silence. "But I think it's okay to talk to him if you're still worried. I'm sure he'll understand."

Mitsuha nodded and smiled. "Thanks, Saya-chin," she said. "I feel a lot better now."

"Anytime," Sayaka replied. She glanced to the clock behind Mitsuha. 6.30 p.m. "Mitsuha. Didn't you say he was coming over today?"

Mitsuha's eyes widened in surprise. After taking a quick peek to her phone screen to see the time, she emptied her cup in one gulp and started packing her things. Thankfully for her, the tea had gotten a bit cold. "You're right. I better go now."


	3. Chapter 2

"Onee-chan, you're late!" was the first welcome Mitsuha got when she arrived home. And also the wonderful smell of cream stew.

"Sorry, I'll make sure to cook tomorrow," she answered, which Yotsuha returned with a pout. Mitsuha's little sister was already waiting near the front door as soon as she entered, wearing an apron, with both hands on her hips. Despite the annoyed look on her face, Yotsuha soon shrugged and went back into the kitchen, which was not very far from the front door, on the right side.

After taking off her shoes and hanging her jacket, Mitsuha joined her into the kitchen. She took a spoon and tried tasting her little sister's cooking. Ever since they moved to Tokyo a few years ago, Yotsuha, now a high school student, had been helping a lot more in the house. Back in Itomori, they used to take turns, and originally, they had wanted to do so again here, but work kept Mitsuha busy most of the time. She still had time to cook meals, so it was still mostly her job, but Yotsuha helped her do everything else, as none of them wanted to burden their grandma.

"Maybe just a little more pepper," Mitsuha said after tasting.

Yotsuha took the spoon from her and tried it herself. "Hmm… are you sure?"

"Yes, I am," Mitsuha replied with a smile, then she patted her sister's head once. "I'll have a quick shower before Taki-kun gets here. Just decide it yourself."

Before Yotsuha had the chance to say anything, Mitsuha had already gone out from the kitchen. With a sigh, Yotsuha took another spoonful and tasted her cooking again. Now she could actually see what her sister meant, and decided to add a sprinkle of pepper. Just when she was about to give it a stir, she heard a gasp coming from the living room.

 _So she finally found out_ , Yotsuha thought, smiling.  
***

"Ta-Taki-kun?!" Mitsuha nearly screamed. She just got out from her room to get her change of clothes, and was about to go to the bathroom when she noticed that Taki was already on the living room with her grandma, calmly drinking tea. "You're here already? Why didn't you say something?"

He scratched the back of his neck, grinning apologetically. "Well, I was about to, but you seemed to be… busy, so…"

Mitsuha turned away to hide her blushing cheeks. "W-well, I'm gonna take a quick shower, so… excuse me…" With that, she quietly retreated and got into the bathroom. After she closed the door, Taki heard the water started running, and finally breathed again, not realizing he had been holding it in.

"Onee-chan can be such a child around you, Taki-sama," Yotsuha suddenly appeared, walking from the kitchen. She took a seat next to her grandma, pouring more tea to the older woman. "Maybe that's what it means to be 'a girl in love.'"

Taki chuckled nervously. "Ah, is that so?"

"I heard that!" Mitsuha yelled from the bathroom, over the sound of running water.

Yotsuha shrugged and grinned. "More tea?" she offered.

"Sure, thank you." Taki slid his empty cup to the younger girl. He couldn't help thinking about what Yotsuha had just said. He had heard it from her, and also Mitsuha's friends, that Mitsuha was generally very mature. Mitsuha, Yotsuha, and their grandma moved from a small town in the countryside to Tokyo, and other than their living expenses, Mitsuha also paid for her little sister's tuition. In that sense alone, she was a full-fledged adult. But Taki had never felt the three-year gap when they were together. Maybe with him, and only with him, Mitsuha got a chance to actually rely on someone. He couldn't help but smile at the thought.

"Is something funny, Taki-kun?" Mitsuha was suddenly next to him.

"Oh, n-no, nothing…"

She had already changed from her formal attire to a simple t-shirt and shorts. She also had her wet hair wrapped with a towel. With her sitting so close, Taki could actually smell her soap—it was of some flower he couldn't recall—and it made him blush, so he turned away. Luckily, the girl didn't seem to notice, as she was portioning everyone's stew and placed each plate and bowl on the table.

"Well, then," Mitsuha said after placing the last plate in front of herself. "Let's eat, shall we?"

" _Itadakimasu_!"  
***

"Uh… Taki-kun?"

"Hm, what is it?"

"C-c-can I… can I come to your house later?" Mitsuha stuttered. She was sure that her cheeks were as red as tomatoes now. _Get a grip, Mitsuha! It's your chance to actually talk to Taki-kun!_ They were washing the dishes together in the kitchen: she was the one washing, he was wiping. Mitsuha was already on the last plate as she said this. Her grandma had already said good night to them some time after dinner, while Yotsuha was watching TV in the living room. Mitsuha made sure that she could still hear the TV before telling him.

The boy didn't seem to catch her embarrassment, though. He simply took the plate from her, wiped it, then he nodded with a smile. "Sure. But it's late anyway, so you can just stay over."

Mitsuha nodded, as she suddenly lost her words. Her cheeks still felt warm. She touched them with her wet hands, cooling them down. _I just want to talk to him, that's all. No need to be so nervous._

"Onee-chan, you're staying over at Taki-sama's?" Yotsuha was suddenly in front of the kitchen door, which was open.

"W-were you eavesdropping?" Mitsuha tried to sound angry, but her nervousness made her sound very doubtful instead, like she was scared.

Yotsuha giggled. "Good luck with your first kiss, then!" she said before running back to the living room, still giggling.

Mitsuha was blushing again. Discreetly, she glanced at Taki, who was already looking at her with similarly blushing face. Both of them looked away instantly. Silence overcame them for a few seconds, before Taki broke it with a giggle.

 _Who knew that a giggle could be contagious?_ Mitsuha thought to herself.


	4. Chapter 3

_She hasn't talked much since we left her house._

That thought never left Taki as he continued to cheerfully talk to Mitsuha as they walked side by side to his house. He had tried anything possible – anything that crossed his mind: the weather ("Aren't you cold? It's been very cold lately, hasn't it? It's beginning to feel more and more like winter."), his work (meetings, finishing building sketches, more meetings, more sketches), his friends ("Tsukasa and Takagi wants to have a get-together again sometime soon, will you come with me?")

"Hmm," Mitsuha mostly answered. She would look down to her feet and sometimes sighed. But at times, maybe because she noticed the concern in his voice, she would look up to him and flash a thin smile, as if to convince him that she was okay, and that nothing was wrong.

Taki tried to remember what happened lately that may have caused Mitsuha being down. But nothing came to mind. Even during their dinner together just now, she was cheerful and talkative like usual. If he had to name something, though, she started to get weird after she told him about wanting to go over to his house. What could have possibly gone wrong?

 _Is it because of Yotsuha earlier?_ He glanced at her with a flushed face. _Is it about our… our f-f-first kiss?_

 _I'll just ask her once we're inside_ , Taki decided as he tried to regain his calm. The couple finally arrived in front of his apartment door. Silently, he inserted his key, turned it slightly, and with a click, the door finally opened.

"It's pretty cold on the way here, so would you like some tea, Mitsuha? I'll boil some water. You can sit down," he told her as he closed and locked the door after they entered.

"Hmm."

As if she was on _auto-pilot_ mode, Mitsuha proceeded to hang her coat and walked inside to the living room in a somewhat rigid motion. But at least she made it there. She was now sitting near the _kotetsu_ in the living room, just as he had told her to. Her eyes stayed on a particular space in front of her, staring but not really looking at anything.

After making sure she was inside, Taki let out a long sigh, then went to the kitchen and boiled some water for the tea.  
***

 _What should I do? What should I do? What should I do?_

Mitsuha couldn't believe she actually had the courage to ask him earlier. When she left Sayaka's house, she only thought that she would think it over for a while before actually asking him. But then, that feeling overcame her again – the feeling that something was still missing, forgotten, and she needed to know what that something was. So when she saw a chance earlier, she took it without much thinking.

 _But now that I'm actually here… what should I say to him?_

The confusion never left her as soon as they stepped out of her house earlier. She kept telling herself that she could still make up something and go back to the safety of her house – to the safety of not talking… yet. She couldn't make up her mind fast enough, and now, here she was. It was now too late to do anything. She must talk to him – but how?

 _'_ _Taki-kun, are we actually dating?' No, that's too direct._

 _'_ _Taki-kun, do you love me?' What am I saying?!_

 _'_ _Taki-kun, I love you. Will you go out with me?' No, no, no – that's too embarrassing!_

Suddenly, she could feel something warm touching her forehead, stopping her train of thought. It was Taki's hand, probably checking if she had a fever. Her cheeks felt warm again and she knew she was blushing. She wanted to look away, but she couldn't.

And their eyes met.

"Mitsuha, you've been spacing out since we left your house," he said worriedly. "Are you okay? Here, I've made some tea. Warm yourself. Why don't you rest inside the _kotetsu_ a bit? It will help."

 _Ah… I even made him worry. Get a grip, Mitsuha! You can do this!_

Taki was about to get up, probably to get her some blankets as he had said he would, but Mitsuha took his arm, stopping him.

"Mitsuha?"

"Taki-kun," she began. Taking a deep breath, she continued, "I'm fine, sorry. I was just… thinking. Actually, I need to talk to you about something – will you hear me out?"

He still looked puzzled, and surprised. But he sat back down anyway, holding Mitsuha's hand in his. "Sure."

Mitsuha couldn't help but smile at his gentle gesture. His hand gave her just the warmth she needed to calm down. With yet another long breath, she started again, "This may sound weird, Taki-kun, but sometimes… sometimes I can't help wonder if we're actually dating."

If Taki was about to say something, he held it in. Instead, she could feel that his grip was slightly stronger than before.

"Well, I mean – aren't we supposed to… c-c-confess or something before we actually date? I'm sorry if I'm wrong, though. I'm just… worried, if it's just me… you know, feeling like, like… _this…_ " She could feel her voice slowly breaking. _Is it really okay to do this? What if after this everything ends?_

"Taki-kun, I—"

"You're right," he cut her in, suddenly pulling her into a hug.

Mitsuha could feel her defense breaking down rapidly as soon as that happened. Her body began to tremble. Tears welled up in her eyes, blurring her sight. She wanted to say something, but she was afraid it would make her cry even harder. So she stopped.

And waited.

"I'm sorry, Mitsuha," Taki said gently. "I didn't realize I was making you feel so insecure. I thought – I thought it was enough. But of course not. You're right, Mitsuha. Some things need to be said to be understood, so I will say it now."

He pulled away from the hug, still holding her hands. Staring right into her crying eyes, he said the line he should have said long, long ago.

"I love you, Mitsuha."


	5. Chapter 4

"I love you, Mitsuha."

Taki watched as Mitsuha's expression began to change. She was already on the verge of crying when she was still talking, but now it really looked like her defenses were going to break sooner or later. Tears welled up in her eyes. Some had even started to stream down her rosy cheeks, one after another. He also noticed that her lips were trembling.

Yet she was smiling the most beautiful smile he had ever seen.

With his right hand, Taki wiped Mitsuha's cheeks. She jumped a bit, but her smile got wider. She then put one hand over his hand.

"I love you, too, Taki-kun," she whispered with a trembling voice.

 _Why does it feel like I've been waiting for so long for this?_ Taki wondered as he cupped her face gently with both hands. Using his thumbs, he wiped tears from her eyes. Slowly, Mitsuha closed her eyes, knowing what was to come. Taking a deep breath, Taki drew his face closer to hers, slowly but steadily closing in the distance. He could hear his own heart thumping so loudly it hurt. There was barely any distance between them now.

And he closed his eyes.

 _Good luck with your first kiss, then!_

Yotsuha's voice in his mind took him by surprise that their foreheads collided with a _thump_.

"Ouw!"

"Ouch!"

Both Mitsuha and Taki exclaimed at the same time, each rubbing their foreheads.

"Taki-kun, what are you doing?!" Mitsuha yelled frustratingly.

"Sorry! Just that… I remembered Yotsuha's words, and…" He lost his voice by the end of the sentence, staring apologetically at Mitsuha. The girl was still sitting in her position. She had an annoyed look on her face and her rosy lips formed a small pout, both directed at Taki. And she was still rubbing her forehead with one hand. The two continued to stare at each other as silence overcame them.

Then they started laughing.

"She wasn't even here and she still got in the way!" Mitsuha said. Her body was trembling with laughter.

"Can't underestimate her power over us," Taki replied between his laughter.

"I guess we just have to take it slow, then?" Mitsuha said after the laughter died down, smiling at the boy.

"I guess so," he agreed, patting Mitsuha's head gently once. Then, as if he suddenly remembered something, he got up. "That's right. I have something I want to show you," he said before disappearing into his room. After a while, he returned bringing a bundle of papers. Mitsuha's eyes never left him as he sat back down, laying the papers on the floor between them.

The older girl's eyes widened in surprise. She traced one the papers with one hand. It was a drawing of a place she knew all too well. "Taki-kun… have you ever been here?" she murmured. "Have you ever been to Itomori?" Her eyes moved to the other drawings. Other than the big lake, Taki also had the drawing of her family shrine where she always did the ritual to make _kuchikamizake_. He also drew the other parts of the town. The drawings were in such detail that it was impossible unless he had been there himself.

"That's the city you're from, right?" he asked her, rather cheerfully, as if he didn't notice the nervousness in her voice. "I've been there once when I was in high school."

"When is that?" Mitsuha hoped that she had counted it wrong. But at the same time, she felt like his answer could somehow be the clue to the missing puzzle pieces.

"Hmm… five years ago?" he replied. Then, he saw the look on her face. "What's wrong?"

"That's… that's three years after the Incident," Mitsuha told him. She then took the drawing of the big lake and showed it to him. "But this… this was how the lake was before that. It was before everything was destroyed. How? How is that possible, Taki-kun?"

Mitsuha couldn't forget that day even if she tried. It was the day of the festival. But that was not the only reason why the whole town – including herself – was excited. They were going to witness a very rare sight of a comet right above them. A rare phenomenon that only happened once in seventy-five years. Unless it was going to split up and destroy the whole town. Luckily, they had an evacuation drill that day, which was a very odd timing, considering the festival. It was thanks to the drill that most of the people survived.

But Mitsuha couldn't say the same for her hometown, Itomori – the Lost Town.

"There's nothing left there now," Mitsuha continued, her voice trembling. "How is it possible, Taki-kun?"

Taki was about to say something, but he knew Mitsuha was right. His memory of the visit was already fading. But it was impossible for him to forget the sight that welcomed him there. He had expected a town – a very beautiful one, in fact – but all he saw was ruins and whatever was left from Itomori. He even knew about the Incident. It happened when he was in his third-year of junior high school. Not only did he see the news of the meteor on TV, he also enjoyed the beautiful sight himself. Of course, no one – including him – had known that it would split, fall, and wipe out a whole town.

 _So then, how would he explain these drawings?_

"Let's go there," he suddenly said.

"Go where?"

"To Itomori. Now that you mentioned it, I can't find any explanations for these drawings. I feel like I do know the town this way, but it was not a lie that I only visited it once, three years after the incident," he continued. "That's why, I feel like… going there will answer all of our questions. What do you think, Mitsuha?"

Taking her eyes off the drawings, Mitsuha stared at Taki and nodded. "You're right. Let's go."


	6. Chapter 5

Mitsuha couldn't stop worrying.

She and Taki took the first train they could get after telling her grandma and Yotsuha that they would be leaving for Itomori. The two were surprised, but each sent the couple off with a smile. The trip was a very sudden one; thankfully, it was Sunday, so Taki didn't have to go to work anyway, and for Mitsuha's case, she'd had a friend to take over for her.

Mitsuha, who left Itomori shortly after graduating (which was not long after the Incident), had never gone back to her hometown ever since. On the other hand, Yotsuha and their grandma had gone back once since moving here, which was about a year ago, to see how their father was doing. Last time she heard, he now lived in the nearby town, still pursuing a career in politics. She had never been that close to her father, but her not returning with them had a deeper reason than that: she was scared.

Back when she was finishing her school year (most of the people moved to Hida), sometimes there were still some people who went back to the Lost Town, for whatever reasons, including her friends. But she never went. It was painful for her to see the ruins while remembering how the beautiful town used to be. It was ironic, actually. She could still remember how she felt about living there: it was boring and there was nothing in it except for the scenery. She took it for granted, and now she felt like she had to pay the price.

Yet now she found herself going back there. How would she feel?

"Mitsuha?" she heard Taki call her name. He looked worried. "Are you okay?"

They had just got off the train. Finally they arrived in Hida. It had been early in the morning when they left Tokyo, but now it was past midday. She forced a smile. "Yeah. I'm fine, Taki-kun."

The boy didn't look convinced. He was about to say something when suddenly Mitsuha's phone rang. Looking at the screen, it was a call from a number she didn't recognize.

Deciding to answer it anyway, the girl put the phone over her ear. "Hello?"

"Mitsuha," replied a heavy and somewhat rigid voice. "Yotsuha told me you were coming."

Mitsuha could feel her whole body freeze when she heard the voice over the phone. It had been years since she heard it, yet she recognized it almost instantly. It was the last person she had expected to give her a call. "Dad?"

Even Taki went rigid as soon as he heard that. Mitsuha could feel it from his grip in her hand. But the boy said nothing.

"You're coming, right?" Mitsuha's father replied. "If you'd like, you can stay at my place. It's not much, but it can manage one more person. You're alone, right?"

Mitsuha couldn't help glancing at Taki's way. "Uhh… no, I'm… I'm with… a friend," she answered nervously.

"I see." There was a pause. "Well, consider it. I'm hanging up."

Mitsuha let out the breath she had been holding as the line went dead. The girl put her phone back into her coat pocket.

"What did your father say?" Taki asked. Although he didn't know much, Mitsuha had told him once that she didn't have a very good relationship with her father.

"He offered for me to stay in his place," Mitsuha replied with a thin smile, as if reassuring him that she was fine. "But we don't have to, we're leaving by the end of today anyway."

Taki was about to say something else, but Mitsuha pulled his hand she had been holding, and began walking in a quick pace, finding the exit from the station. "That's why, we have to do this quickly if we want to make it to Tokyo by the end of today!" she said excitedly. "Taki-kun, do you think we need to rent a car? I wonder where we should go to do that."

And so the topic was forgotten for a while.  
***

After renting a car for their trip to Itomori from Hida, Taki and Mitsuha drove together in silence. Taki made some effort to start a conversation, but he soon stopped when he realized that Mitsuha must have some complicated feelings about coming back to her hometown—or the ruins of it, actually. He even considered to take the train back to Tokyo without going there, but deep down he knew that this trip was important to her as it was to him.

The trip didn't take long, and they soon arrived at the ruins of Mitsuha's high school, which was barely outside the area of impact, and also where most of the people were evacuated back then. There was still police line and borders, as well as signs to keep people away. Still in silence, both of them got off the car and saw the scenery beyond the borders: Itomori Lake, and the ruins of what used to be the town of Itomori around it.

Taki took Mitsuha's hand in his. _It's okay. I'm here._

He felt her grip strengthen for a short moment. _Thank you._

Hand in hand, the two of them stood there, watching the scenery beyond them. It was a weird feeling, standing here for the second time. Taki didn't remember much of his first trip, but now he felt sad, but somehow nostalgic. Being here, staring at this view, he felt even more sure than he was yesterday that they had come to the right place, and they would surely find the things they had been looking for.

He glanced at Mitsuha. It was kind of hard to see her face as her muffler nearly covered her mouth. If she felt like she was about to cry, she did a good job holding it in. Taki noticed that she was slightly trembling, though. As if knowing that he had been staring, she looked his way and smiled.

Taki smiled back, then looked up to the slowly darkening sky. "We must hurry," he murmured.

"Taki-kun?"

"Mitsuha, I have one more place I want to visit," he said, looking straight into her nearly crying eyes. "Are you… okay?"

The girl nodded. "Sure. Let's go, Taki-kun."  
***

After some more time driving past the trees and hills, they parked the car and continued the rest of the way on foot. Mitsuha recognized the way, and knew instantly where they were going. She let Taki lead the way, still holding her hand tightly. Although it was weird for her that he actually knew where to go, she didn't say anything. Somehow, she knew that she would soon know the answers anyway, so it was no use asking.

Looking at the sky above, Mitsuha got worried if it would be too dark for them when they got back. But she had no time to voice her worries, as Taki suddenly stopped walking. So she was right about the place they were heading to. It was long time ago, but she had been here once, when her mother was still alive, to deliver the _kuchikamizake_ to the body of Miyamizu shrine's god. Although it seemed different from how she remembered it, she could still recognize the place.

 _From this point out, it's…_

"…the Underworld," Taki finished her thought – or did she say it out loud?

Mitsuha looked up at the sky, which was dark blue with a mix of orange, slowly darkening, even more so now that it was the beginning of winter. The wind blew her long hair, and she could see her breath because of the cold. She found herself searching for the setting sun, which was barely visible among the clouds. It's twilight.

" _Kataware-doki_." They said it at the same time.


	7. Chapter 6

" _Kataware-doki_." Mitsuha looked Taki's way.

Except he was no longer there.

As she began to call his name over and over in panic, she noticed that she was no longer on top of the hills. Beyond her, there was nothing but darkness. She could no longer see the hills and greenery that led to the body of Miyamizu shrine's god. But before she could react to the darkness around her, the world suddenly lit up she had to close her eyes.

 _Taki-kun… Taki-kun…_ she heard her own voice. _Don't you remember me?_

 _What's your name?_ she heard Taki's voice replying.

Mitsuha opened her eyes. It was as if she was watching a movie, except there was no screen. She saw herself – her younger self back when she was still in high school – in a train in Tokyo. And… she was talking to… Taki. He also seemed younger.

 _Mitsuha!_ her younger self yelled while untangling her ribbon, giving it to Taki. _My name… is Mitsuha!_

She recognized that scene. Although she had forgotten why, she still remembered her trip to Tokyo eight years ago. She didn't stay long… something made her return. And as a result, she cut her hair short.

 _To think that I'd actually met him back then… is that why—_

Mitsuha didn't even have the chance to finish her thoughts as she saw that the scene in front of her change. She saw herself – still her younger self in high school, waking up in her room, except she somehow knew that it wasn't her. Whoever that was, she looked confused, panic, and incredibly disoriented. Then the 'movie' fast forwarded and she was in school, her hair still a mess, ignoring the teacher's call. She looked confused when her friends pointed the name she had been called with as hers. She began writing in the notebook. Mitsuha could actually see the messy handwriting, one that was clearly not hers.

 _What's your name?_

The scene changed again. She was once again on top of the hills, except this time it was not winter. The greenery was still visible. She could actually hear the water of the lake running, and felt the heat of the sun. And instead of Taki as her company, she saw herself, Yotsuha, and their grandma, slowly walking out from the place where the god's main body was shrined. This time, Mitsuha in the vision, still her in high school, no longer had a messy hair. Instead, she tied it in a ponytail, a style she rarely wore. Yotsuha was also a lot younger. They seemed to be talking, then Mitsuha saw her grandma turned to her younger self.

 _Mitsuha… are you dreaming right now?_ She heard the older woman's voice.

In this 'movie', or this… vision, Mitsuha saw a lot of things. Instead of her usual hairstyle, the Mitsuha in the vision wore her hair in a ponytail most of the time. She went to school, she talked to Sayaka and Tessie, and she even spent time with Yotsuha and their grandma. As she watched the vision in silence and confusion, she couldn't help but wonder if that Mitsuha was really her.

 _No… it felt like… Taki-kun?_

Again, without warning, the scene in front of her changed. This time, she saw the scenes of the day of the Incident. Except it was still not her in it, but her other self who somehow reminded her of Taki. She thought she would see an exact replay of that day as she remembered it, but she was wrong. Instead of going to school normally then preparing for the festival, Mitsuha in the vision went her way to warn Sayaka and Tessie that they would all die tonight because of the comet. Then the three began making plans to explode the power generator, make evacuation announcement, and convince the mayor to help with the evacuation.

 _It's the same… the events that happened, they are the same… yet, I don't recognize it, somehow. Is it because it's not me doing it?_

Mitsuha stood there and watched as the other Mitsuha failed to convince the mayor – her father. She also watched as the other Mitsuha began making her way to the mountains, where the main body of the god was located. It was weird. She was calling out… not anyone else's name but her own. What's even weirder was that… Mitsuha could actually hear another voice – Taki's voice – calling out as a response, again not anyone else's but his own name.

 _Mitsuha!_ She heard her voice. _You're there, right? Inside my body!_

As she heard that, Mitsuha felt a sudden epiphany. It was as if a locker in her mind, which had been locked and forgotten all these years, was suddenly opened and she finally remembered. She and Taki – they weren't strangers, after all. Despite being in a different time, they met. What a weird meeting it was! Instead of normally seeing each other face to face, they met by switching bodies when they went to sleep. She, who was supposed to die when Comet Tiamat hit Itomori, was given another chance. Thanks to Taki, who went as far as going to Itomori…

And saved her.

 _So that we won't forget each other when we wake up, let's write our names on each other._

As she heard Taki talking in the vision, Mitsuha looked at her palm. She knew now, that instead of his name, Taki wrote something else. And she got the chance to see it again. It was the same writing as it was back then, as if it had stayed with her all these years. A teardrop fell to the black ink on her hand as she traced it with her fingers.

 _I love you.  
***_

"Mitsuha! Mitsuha!" she heard Taki calling her name, shaking her body awake.

Slowly, she opened her eyes and saw him. He was no longer the Taki she saw in her vision. He was the one who came here with her. It was cold, yet he was drenched with sweat. He looked worried. When he noticed that she was conscious, she saw him sigh in relief. Mitsuha realized that she was back in the present.

"Taki… kun?" Her voice was barely a whisper.

"Thank God! You're okay now," he said gently, stroking her hair. "Can you get up?" Slowly, he helped her get up to a sitting position before pulling her into a hug. It was so sudden that Mitsuha jumped a bit in surprise. But she didn't pull away. Even without him telling her, she knew that he also saw the same vision as she did.

"Looks like we can't go back to Tokyo today," Taki told her. Mitsuha looked up and saw that it was already dark. They had no choice but to stay here for the night.

Mitsuha remembered her father's call. Suddenly, she wanted to meet him, and for the first time in years, she felt like she missed him. "Let's go to my dad's place, then," she said.

She could feel him nod. "It's not like we have a choice. Hopefully he'll take me in, too, though," he said jokingly, still holding her in his arms.

"Taki-kun," Mitsuha said after a moment of silence. Tears began streaming down her cheeks. "Thank you… for coming to get me back then."

Instead of answering, Taki pulled away from the hug. Stroking her cheek with one hand, he leaned closer to her. Slowly, Mitsuha closed her eyes.

And their lips met.


	8. Epilogue

Taki was alone in his room. The boy was sitting on his desk, and seemed to be writing. In front of him, there was a big board where he hung his sketches and drawings, mostly of buildings, although there were also some of sceneries. Among the sketches, he also pasted some photos of him and Mitsuha on the board. All of the photos were full of stickers and their eyes were unnaturally big and sparkling in some, indicating that they were all taken in photo boxes. There was not a single one where the two were not smiling brightly. On the desk, just beside his reading lamp, was a framed picture taken in Sayaka and Tessie's wedding.

It didn't take long for Taki to finish writing something on his diary. As he put his pen down, he looked at his handwriting, smiling with flushed cheeks. If given the chance, he would probably stay like that for hours. But his phone, which was also placed on the desk, started vibrating wildly. It was a reminder of something he had to do after this.

After clicking the screen to stop the vibration, Taki took a deep breath and stood up. He didn't need to change; he had been wearing the clothes he was meant to wear for thirty minutes already. He just needed to grab his bag and slung it to his shoulder. Taking his phone from the desk, he headed toward the door, all prepared to leave.

"Oh, shoot. Almost forgot!" he murmured to himself and walked back to his desk. From his drawer, he took out a small velvet box and kept it in his front pocket. After making sure he didn't leave anything behind this time, he turned the lights off, walked out, and closed the door behind him.

He did forget one thing, though. He left his diary open. It showed the page where he had just been writing earlier. It was not even a paragraph or a group of lines that he wrote; it was just one, simple sentence, written in big letters.

 _Today is the day!_


End file.
